"
Harper made an assenting inclination with his head, but no other reply,
to this remark; while Mr. Wharton, after lighting his pipe, resumed
the subject.
"They appear more active in the south; Gates and Cornwallis seem willing
to bring the war to an issue there."
The brow of Harper contracted, and a deeper shade of melancholy crossed
his features; his eye kindled with a transient beam of fire, that spoke
a latent source of deep feeling. The admiring gaze of the younger of the
sisters had barely time to read its expression, before it passed away,
leaving in its room the acquired composure which marked the countenance
of the stranger, and that impressive dignity which so conspicuously
denotes the empire of reason.
The elder sister made one or two movements in her chair, before she
ventured to say, in a tone which partook in no small measure of
triumph,--
"General Gates has been less fortunate with the earl, than with General
Burgoyne."
"But General Gates is an Englishman, Sarah," cried the younger lady,
with quickness; then, coloring to the eyes at her own boldness, she
employed herself in tumbling over the contents of her work basket,
silently hoping the remark would be unnoticed.
The traveler had turned his face from one sister to the other, as they
had spoken in succession, and an almost imperceptible movement of the
muscles of his mouth betrayed a new emotion, as he playfully inquired of
the younger,--
"May I venture to ask what inference you would draw from that fact?"
Frances blushed yet deeper at this direct appeal to her opinions upon a
subject on which she had incautiously spoken in the presence of a
stranger; but finding an answer necessary, after some little hesitation,
and with a good deal of stammering in her manner, she replied,--
"Only--only--sir--my sister and myself sometimes differ in our opinions
of the prowess of the British.
Pages:
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39